History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Friday afternoon, Aug. 4, 1865, a grand reception was given to Companies D, G, and K, of the Seven- teenth, which arrived from New Haven upon a special train 2)nividcd by Klias Howe, .Jr. Some five thou- sand i)eoiile turned out to meet them ; there was a procession through the principal streets; liouses were gayly decorated with bunting, and at Franklin Hall there were stirring addresses and music by the glee club. Other companies and detachments were wel- comed as they successively* returned, though, coming later, their reception was not so demonstrative as was that of the comjjanies belonging to the Seventeenth. The number of soldiers enlisting from Bridgeport who are known to have been killed in battle, to have died of disease, or to have been starved to death in rebel prisons during the war is one hundred and sev- enty. Adding to this the number missing in action who were never after heard from, or who died from the effects of wounds received or from disea.se con- tracted in camp shortly after their return, the aggre- gate loss will doubtless exceed two hundred and fifty. Among them were such men as Lieut. -Col. Walter, of the Seventeenth, who was killed at Chan- cellorsville; JIaj. Wilson Hubbell, of the Sixty -second New York, who fell at Cold Harbor ; and Frederick H. Thompson, who died while serving upon the steam- ship " New London." Special mention ought to be made here of eight young men, — the oldest can hardly have been more than twenty-one at enlistment, — all of them either schoolmates or members of the same literary soci- ety, the old Philomathean, whose early death it is almost impossible to deplore, so bright an example of Christian patriotism have they left to all who come arter them. These were Walter Fitch, adjutant of the Sixth Coiineetieut Volunteers, who received his death-wound in the night attack upon Fort Wagner, while standing upon the parapet cheering on his men ; Ord.-Sergt. Albion Brooks, of the Eighth Connec- ticut Volunteers, who did not live to enter the Chris- tian ministry, as lie had jiurposed, hut fell in the charge at Cold Harbor; First Lieut. Franklin Bart- lett, only seventeen years of age when he enlisted, who was killed at Hatcher's Kun, near Petersburg; Capt. William H. Hawley, of the Fourteenth Ccm- nccticut Volunteers, well termed " a heroic Christian soldier," who, after ptussing almost unscathed through twenty-five engagements, received a bullet in the brain while defending the captured Weldon Uailroad ; -Vdjt. Henry Chatfield, of the Seventeenth Coiineetieut Vid- untecrs. who, refusing to Surrender, waa shot down by a party of guerrillas in Florida ; Corp. Henrii' T. Win- slow, member of a Massaehusett-s regiment, who fell a victim to the deadly malarial fever of the South ; and First Lieut. Richard Ro.ss Crawford, of the Seventh U. S. Infantry, a Virginian by birth, and a Democrat by education, but who remained true to the Old Flag and fell bravely fighting in its defense at Gettysburg, as did also Corp. Alvah Wilcox, of the Seventeenth Connecticut Volunteers, who had some- times been Crawford's opponent in i)olitieal debate, but who fought under the same banner and has his name inscribed upon the same monument. SOLDIERS' MONUMENT. Very soon after the close of the war it was decided by the ladies of the Soldiers' Aid Society that a mon- ument should be erected to perpetuate the memory of our deceiu«ed .soldiers. The funds at their command were small, but they were carefully invested, ami from time to time were increiised by fairs, a promenade con- cert, and other entertainments, until they reached quite a respectable sum. The corner-st<jne was laid at Seaside Park, Aug. 29, 1866, with ap])ropriate cere- monies, the Governor and his staff, Maj.-Gen. Terry, and a large audience, made up of militia, firemen, veterans, civic societies, and citizens generally, being present. At a town-meeting held June 10, 1873, the sum of eighteen thousand nine hundred dollars was voted by the town for the nionuiiient, and William H. Mallory, Henry A. House, and J. I). Alvord were a]>pi)iuteil a committee to superintend its construction. The ladies of the Soldiers' Monument Association were also re- quested to co-operate in the work. The whole cost of the monument, including plans and specifications, was twenty-eight thousand nine hundred didlars, of which ten thousand dollars was contributed by the ladies' association. Aug. 17, 1876, was the day set for the dedication exercises. Military organizations and guests from abroad were present in large numbers, and the pro- cession, which was under command of Chief Marshal William E. Disbrow, of the Nineteenth Connecticut Volunteers, was perhaps tlieniosl imposing ever seen in Bridgeport. A violent rain-storm interrupteil the exercises at the park and comjielled an adjournment to the opera-house, where addresses were made by Hon. D. II. Sterling, Rev. Dr. A. R. Thompson, .Maj. W. H. Mallory, ex-Governor Hawley, Gen. W. H. Noble, and othei-s. The ilesign of the monument, which is the work of W. H. Jlosman, of Chicopee, is generally much admircil, and its location, overlooking the bright |>anorama of Long Island Sound, is cer- tainly unequaled. The ladies of the monument association still keep up their organization for the purpose of seeing that the monument and its surroundings are kept in proper order, and hold pleasant reunions in August of cai'h vear. -J. . • o'f^'-i'^ituti.'f.'^T,\f-^ft,j-, , •v***C~>-^--V^ .^,- "* ^z 'X^^:iK^i^^'^r^^ij^i,iii^ia^isisSii^ SOtO-fERS MONUMENT, B«i£>C£PORT, €Ohm. BRIDGEPORT. 105 THE CEXTEXNTAL CEEEliK \T[i1X. SEASIDE PARK. | (J,.,,. Ejtbfrt K. Virlr, of Nrw Y..ik, wns coiisiiltcl Pii!)lif iitti'iitiou was first drawn to the capahilitics by the commissioners, and, actiiif; u|)(in liis advice, of our water front, liy the eni'ani| nt of llie Seven- the sea-wall and drive-way were lieL'Uii, and the pond leentli ]{e};inieiit U|p(jn tlie shore in thr sunnncr of exca\ated and providrd with aniputlrl. I'laiis were 1S():2, and the ex])eriinents of (Icn. (Jillniorc with IIh- afterward procured at his own expense hv lion. Na- Ames pun in the same locality two years latei'. In thaiiiel Wheeler from Messrs. (Ilmstcail ami \'aiix, October, 1S(1:!, an article in the Stniiiliii-il nri;cd tlu' tin' desiirners of Central Park, New '('ork', which were necessity for om' or more public parks, and Sept. 1), follow ed in laying out the aroiinds. K.\tensive addi- I>;ii4, another article in the .same journal recom- tions have since been nunle by ptirehasi'. iiM-lndiuLC mended the |uirchase of the grouml now occupicil tin' beautiful jrrove on the north, so that the ]iresent by Seaside I'ark, describing it in thi' follow ing gr.iphic area of the park is more than double that of thi' lirst terms: survey. "A beautifid umlulating piece (d' land, Iree fnuu It would be clitlicult to say too mmdi in praise either r<n-ks, skirted for a good part of the way on the north of the original idea of this beautifid pleasure-ground by fine forest-trees, and bounded on llu' south loi- its or the manner in whi(di it has been carried out. In entire length by the sparkling waters of the Sound, addition lo the natural attractions mentiiuied in the Prom this water-fnnit, which is co.d ami pleasant article whi(di has been (piotecl, the trees ami slindi- eveii in the hottest days, a ]iietures(|Ue and striking bery, the Soldiers' Monument, the I rolting-park, the view is obtained. ()n the left, as wc stand faiing ihe o|M'n-air concerts through the sumnu'r, ami the facil- water, is the city, with its tall spires and chimneys : ities fiir sea-bathing nniki' if a |ilace nneipialed ilse- poinfing skyward from among the trees ; the harbiu', i where in New England, while numerous streets and d(itted with its sailing craft, and the wooded j.oint, the horse-railroad afford easy access to all. "What a with its cottages o]iposite; on the ri,tt'ht, the green benclit the Seaside Park will be to ISridgeport when slojiing shores cd' ISlack Rock, stretching far arouml anotlur i-entury has [)asscd ami the popidation id' the to the lighthimse. Par away to the south the hilN place has perha]is increased to a liundreil thousand, of Long Island loom up from the horizon in ilear can hardly be estimated, weather, while in the Icueground a constant panoram.-i mci'ts the eye of white-sailed vessels jiassing up and down the bhu' waters of the Sound." The anniversary of our national independeuce, .luly ^lessrs. 1", T. Parnum and .lames ( '. Loomis were 4, ISTil, was celebrated at the |>ark so ]deasantlv, and the lirst to imive in the matter, and thi- tlnnnr espe- withal so sensibly, that the oeea-ion scnis wurthy cd' eially jiushcil it with his usual energy. Early in .\o- mention lieri'. vember, l.^(i4, a survey of the land was nuidi' by V,. .lolin I >. Candee, E.sq., editor of the Stiiinhiril, was l;. Pandiert ami ( icorge I'.eckwith, and a map hung president of the day, Col. Sanuud V>. Sumner was up in the post-(dtice showing the area of the ]iroposed idnef uuirshal, and the procession, though an excellent park to be about thirty-rtve acres, thirteen cd' w Inch om% was entirely from Pridgepcnl and its immediate were situated in the town (jf Bridgepint, and the re- \iciidty. The ilay was a iierfeet one, and those who niaimler within the territory since annexed, but at managed the affair had set up the jihitfbrm and the that tiuH' a part (if the tciwu (if Eairfield. seals for spectators in tin' beautiful shady gi^ivc be- During the winter of l,S(i4-l'i.'> the owiici-s (d" the longing to the park, and had not forgotten to provide land, Capts. .lohn Prooks and Jluir Jviiapp, and barrels lif ice-water for the refreshment of those who Messrs. (icorge Bailey and P. T. Parnum, agreed to had marched in the ])roeessi(in. convey the land to the city free of charge on comli- The exercises were begun with praver and the sing- fiiiu that it be used peri.etiially for a public paik, and ing of Whittier's Centeinual Hymn, —